Accused home invader facing new charges in 4 area burglaries

A Maryland man arrested last summer in connection with a Middletown-area home invasion is facing new charges stemming from four additional burglaries in southern New Castle County.

By Scott Gossscott.goss@doverpost.comTwitter: @MiddletownScott

A Maryland man arrested last summer in connection with a Middletown-area home invasion is facing new charges stemming from four additional burglaries in southern New Castle County.

Timothy J. Martin, a 27-year-old resident of Galena, Md., is facing 17 new criminal charges in connection with four residential burglaries that occurred in Clayton, Smyrna, Middletown and Townsend from February to March, according to Delaware State Police.

Those burglaries took place at the following dates and times:

Feb. 12 – 900 block of Blackbird Forest Road near ClaytonMarch 1 – 300 block of Blackbird-Greenspring Road near SmyrnaMarch 2 – 700 block of Churchtown Road near MiddletownMarch 8 – 300 block of Vandyke-Greenspring Road near TownsendMartin is accused of forcing his way into the four homes and making off with guns, cash, jewelry, a television and an automobile.

State police spokesman Cpl. John Day said detectives were able to recover some of the stolen items, following a lengthy investigation in which they were able to connect Martin to the break-ins.

Martin is being held at the Howard R. Young Correctional Institute in Wilmington, where he's been since his June 3 arrest in connection with a home invasion robbery in the 700 block of Lorewood Road near Middletown.

In that incident, a 78-year-old woman reportedly returned home to find Martin in her bedroom, armed with a knife and in the process of stealing her jewelry.

After demanding cash from the homeowner, Martin allegedly removed the batteries from her cell phone and cordless phone before fleeing.

The woman's son-in-law arrived at the home minutes later and, after learning what had happened, realized he had seen his mother-in-law's attacker getting into a truck on Lorewood Grove Road.

The son-in-law chased the truck onto northbound Del. Route 1 and the exit ramp for Del. Route 72, where Martin allegedly got out of the truck and began punching the 67-year-old Port Penn man in the face before tossing a bag of stolen jewelry at him, police said.

Martin was later arrested by state police while attempting to flee on foot.

He was ordered held on a $198,000 secured bail in that case, for which he is facing robbery, home invasion, assault, theft and other charges.

As of Nov. 1, Martin is facing additional charges in connection with the burglaries, including four counts of second-degree burglary, three counts of theft of a firearm, three counts of theft under $1,500, three counts of criminal mischief under $1,000, two counts of theft over $1,500 and one count each of theft of a motor vehicle and possession of a firearm by a person prohibited.

A judge also has ordered him to be held on an additional $40,500 secured bail, Day said.